President declares martial law following unres

(28 Feb 2002) 1. Wide of civil servants going the Paymaster's General building to get their salaries and military around them 2. Medium shot soldiers and civil servants 3. Close up soldiers 4. Wide shot of soldiers and civil servants 5. Incumbent president Didier Ratsiraka inside Presidential Palace 6. SOUNDBITE: (English) Didier Ratsiraka, President of Madagascar: "We have made up our mind to take martial law in the town in the city of Antananarivo because yesterday deeds have done from the other side." 7. Cutaway journalists 8. SOUNDBITE: (French) Didier Ratsiraka, President of Madagascar: " Martial law was declared here in the city of Antananarivo because contrary to what we would like to believe the situation in Madagascar is not calm and especially in Antananarivo." 9. Wide of press STORYLINE: Madagascar's president declared martial law on Thursday, saying two months of strikes and mass protests that turned violent this week left him with no other choice. Tension has been rising on this island nation off the southeast coast of Africa since a disputed presidential election in December. The gatherings have been mostly peaceful, but the strikes have devastated the economy, President Didier Ratsiraka said. He announced a state of emergency last week after his opponent in the elections, Marc Ravalomanana, insisted he was the winner and declared himself president. The president blamed Wednesday's violent protests, in which a government supporter was killed, on the opposition. Antananarivo was quiet on Thursday. Ravalomanana says he won the election outright, but official results show him winning less than half the vote, forcing him into a runoff with the president. But Ravalomanana, the popular mayor of Antananarivo, refuses to take part in a runoff. With the finance ministry and and Central bank surrounded by his supporters. Ravalomanana offered civil servants a measure of relief as the Paymaster General began paying back salaries. Civil servants haven't been paid since the beginning of the month due to the general strike. The strikes cost the country estimated $12 million a day. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...